🇳🇴 BLASTED 🇳🇴
Blasted (2022) is a new Norwegian action/comedy/sci-fi film on Netflix internationally. 1 hr 54 min long in Norwegian with subtitles. Certificate 15 in the U.K.
Premise:
“When a former childhood friend crashes Sebastian’s bachelor party and makes it all about himself, only an alien invasion can make them put aside their bad blood and reunite as the kick-ass laser-tag duo they once were.” IMDb
Cast:
Axel Bøyum as Sebastian
Fredrik Skogsrud as Mikkel
Ingrid Bolsø Berdal as Hjørdis
André Sørum as Kasper
Evelyn Rasmussen Osazuwa as Stine
Mathias Luppichini as Audun
Erik Hallert as Pelle
Ingar Helge Gimle as Georg
Rune Temte as Roy (Gullhella twin 1)
Crew:
Writer: Emanuel Nordrum
Director: Martin Sofiedal
Roy Westad
Cinematographer: Martin Solvang
Editor: Jens Peder Hertzberg
Notes:
Kygo is a cultural reference in this film, so for those who do not know:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kygo
Review:
I am a fan of sci-fi and by which I mean any sci-fi from hard sci-fi series such as The Expanse to the softest, least scientifically rigorous sci-fi like… well… like Blasted. I knew that this would not, in all likelihood, be the sort of film where you can sit there thinking “Well, that’s far-fetched” and still enjoy it. This film is far more 1980s fun sci-fi mixed with a dollop of the Cornetto Trilogy and The Hangover with its general “blokeishness” (if that’s a word).
The main character in this, Sebastian, is a workaholic and control freak (we all know the type) so, for him, his stag (bachelor) weekend has to be perfect. And at this point, we know that this just ain’t gonna happen! This is partly because we get to know the other guys going on the weekend trip reasonably well before they reach their destination and “this is going to be messy” is written all over this scenario. All the performances in this are very good and the editing does not kill the timing of the jokes either.
What I really liked about this film was that Sebastian had long left behind him the days that he and his one-time best friend Mikkel had once been laser-tag champions in favour of what is, quite frankly, a stressful yet boring corporate existence. I also liked the way that all of the friends were distinct from each other and had their particular strengths and weaknesses.
I am not a bloke, and I suspect that this is firmly the target audience for this film, however, I do know a lot of them. Bless, a lot of this film made me laugh a great deal and very loudly at that. Not all the gags land and occasionally it does try a bit too hard but it also has heart and I found it to be immense fun and entertaining. It is one of those films where you laugh at things that you know you really should not be laughing at… but they are so wrong, and funny.
Being more rigorous about it I think it could have been cut down to 90 minutes and been better for it as there is one section where my attention was allowed to wander.
I loved much of the direction and cinematography in this and the music was a really good match. The costuming was fun! And full marks for the blood gags, makeup and visual effects etc.
This looked like a film that was fun to make and that conveys well on screen. It is not cerebral but it does have a clear message. If you can suspend your disbelief and be prepared to be entertained, have some fun and unleash your inner child (or man child) then this is an ideal watch. I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Trailer:
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